Border Security Force (BSF) have killed at least five people including a civilian and four rebels in clashes that occurred at three different parts of Imphal west and east since Wednesday night, officials said Thursday.
Three persons including a civilian were killed by troops of BSF along the inter-village road connecting Chalou and Nongada village some two kilometer north of Lamlai police station in Imphal east district Wednesday night at around 9.20 pm. Troops recovered two AK 56 rifles with 44 live rounds, one lathod gun with five lathod bombs, two hand grenades from the spot, BSF authority said while claiming that the rebels were suspected to be cadres of the Kangleipak Communists Party (KCP)-MC group.
The BSF troops are on a close vigilance at night since the last few days on having specific information of frequent militant movement on the inter-village road
The three dead bodies, along with the civilian also the driver of the vehicle (Mahindra Brand Jeep MN1K-9916) were later retrieved by the Lamlai police Thursday morning and deposited at RIMS morgue Imphal.
Meanwhile, locals of Khundrakpam where the driver named Yambem Nanao alias Shantikumar aged 26 hailed from said that Nanao was beaten and taken away forcibly by the militants from his house to drop them Wednesday evening. The locals decrying the killing of Nanao blocked the Imphal-Saikhul road (Inter-district raod) passing through Khudrakpam village protesting against the act of the militants and security forces.
Many passenger buses were stranded owing to the sudden blockade of the road, reports said.
Another rebel suspected to be a cadre of the same outfit KCP (MC) was also killed at Leimakhong Mapal village Wednesday night by the police commandos in joint operation with the troops of Assam Rifles.
A 9mm pistol loaded with four live rounds of ammunitions was recovered from the slain rebel.
Yet in another reported clash at a village named Longa Koireng in Imphal west district Wednesday night at around 8.20 pm a suspected militant was gunned down by combined forces of police commandos of Imphal west and troops of 16 Assam Rifles. He was also killed in encounter, claimed the police today and a Chinese made hand grenade was recovered from the slain suspect.